School News

November 20, 2011

MISHAWAKA — Bethel College has awarded the Kirk Leadership Award to five 2011 high school graduates, including LaDarius Gordon, of South Bend Washington, and Joshua Menbere, of Elkhart Christian Academy.

In addition, several local graduates recently received the BUILD honors scholarship, including James Bennett I, of Concord High School; Aaron Charles, Community Baptist High School; Luke Eichorn, Sturgis High School; Gavin McGrath, Warsaw Community High School; and Mahala Miller, NorthWood High School.

The Rev. Billy Kirk Leadership Award, first awarded in 2005, represents Bethel’s commitment to biblically centered ethnic diversity. Its purpose is to recognize and develop the leadership skills of talented minority culture students. Recipients of the renewable award are selected on the basis of academic achievement, leadership ability and community service.

The BUILD (Bethel Undergraduate Intellectual Leadership Development) honors program is in its first year. It aims to develop students with talent for intellectual leadership. The program is open to freshman students of any major who plan to live on campus; however, only 10 to 12 new students are accepted each year. In exchange for committing to the program, BUILD students receive an annual, renewable scholarship based upon participation in the program.